Mad As a Hatter
by FinallyAmongTheFallen124
Summary: Children go missing in Alyss's small town in oregan. She slowly finds her way into the grasp of the culprit. This is , as i've been told , an amazing thrill ride. Welcome to Wonderland. Enjoy :) COMMENT AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! DevilsAdvocate


Around Halloween is when the air gets that eerie bone chilling climate. It adds to the ever lingering effect of terror that seemed to settle over our little town when the winds from Canada blew down over us. People's misconception about small towns is that we don't have much to worry about, but I'm sorry to tell you… They're dead wrong. When the autumn leaves began falling from the trees that winter, we began losing our beloved children. Being only 13 I hadn't… Noticed anything wrong. Everything seemed perfectly fine. Children freely dancing about, laughter ringing like bells in the beautifully crisp autumn air. Nothing seemed to be out of place. Maybe, just maybe, I should have noticed that in the dark of the night the air grew colder and fear crept so much easier into the smallest crevasses of my mind.

It was a brisk October afternoon. Leaves from the trees that surrounded the park down the street from my Junior High School littered the ground. It painted the scene with beautiful reds and golds, all while keeping it serene and peaceful. You could hear the ever familiar laughter of children and the screeches of the squeaky hinges on the seemingly ceaseless merry go round. Kellin and I ran and ran around the park like we always did. My mother had been extremely reluctant, due to the recent kidnappings to let me even, out the door to go to school. Several of the town's children, kids that were my friends, had gone missing. The abductions had started in the beginning of September, seizing at least 19 of the local children. Island City, Oregon hadn't seen such tragedy for …well as long as I could remember. Truth be told… we were all afraid.

Kellin and I were both 13. He had the bluest eyes that I had ever seen and dark brown hair that clung to his shoulders. We chased each other around the park, picking up miscellaneous sticks and rocks, chucking them at each other. We looped around the diminutive playground time and time again. Scurrying multiple times around the slides, swings, and teeter totters.

"Alyss! Slow down!" Kellin yelled after me. I slowed my pace followed by my erratic, excited breathing. I heard Kellin attempting to slow, without prevail. He stumbled over his shoes and crashed into me. We tumbled forward, my auburn hair flying in my eyes, and as I hit the ground Kellin landed on top of me.

"Gosh, Alyss," he said gathering my hand in his and yanking me upward, "I'm so sorry." I slowly brushed the dirt off my faded blue jeans and smiled.

"It's no big deal. These are old anyway." I gestured to my pants and he let out a laugh.

"They still look nice. I hope I didn't ruin them." His eyes, meeting mine, showed that he was sincere. The light was starting to dissipate leaving behind the golden glow of another day ending. As I watched the sun set around us, I felt at peace. Little did I know that feeling was about to be replaced with an unnatural amount of suffocating terror.

Because the sun was setting, we decided heading to my house was the best idea. Children out at night seemed not to fair well. As we walked he took my hand in his and smiled. The walk home was pleasant and when we approached the trees that surrounded it he pulled me close and hugged me.

Mid-hug he looked up and his eyes gazed deeply into the forest.

"Did you see that?" he asked, turning his body to the trees.

"See what?" I asked confused.

"I-I just saw Nevaeh Thompson." His eyes were wide and he started taking slow steps into the woods.

"That's impossible," I said, "she's been missing since September. It's just your imagination." I tugged on his shirt, pulling his body so that he was facing me.

"I'm telling you, Alyss that was her." He gently pushed me to the side and jogged after the invisible girl.

I stood and contemplated going after him for what seemed like ages, until my feet made the choice for me. I followed after him in search of the missing, and possibly whimsical, young girl. I called after him ducking under trees and stepping over decaying branches. It couldn't be that hard to find him. I know these woods better then I know myself. But, even with that fact, my heart was racing.

"Kellin!" I screamed. "If you saw her we should call someone." The only response was the quiet chirps of the birds that call this chaparral their home. Continuing on, I took only shaky, nervous steps, keeping my ears in tune with the forest. I was hoping, maybe, I could hear the patter of Kellin's footsteps or maybe his cry for help.

The sun was leaving our side of the world with nothing in its wake but utter, terrifying darkness. My hands shook as I wrapped my suede jacket around me tighter. Letting my mind wander I realized how worried sick my parents must be. At this thought, I called Kellin's name several more times, not hearing a single word, or even a cry for help, in response. As if that wasn't enough as I looked around me I didn't recognize a single tree… I hadn't the slightest clue where I was.

As night grew more prominent, so did the fear in my body. The already chilly air now grew arctic. Night enveloped my every sense, and my heart was beating a million miles a minute. There was no reassurance to pull me out of the abyss that was now in my every thought. My fear was overtaking all of my senses… cold… unearthly, fear. I was alone… and no one knew I was so close to home… at least, I hoped I was.

My body kept on without my mind being there. Trudging on… trying to save the helpless soul that lingered amidst all the disarray. I needed a reason to carry on, something worth all this…anguish I was putting myself through. Then I thought about Kellin… About how he could be going through exactly what I was… That was all I needed. My body had found a reason to struggle… a reason to push on. I picked up my pace and forced myself forward.

Not knowing how much time had passed was pushing my mind into dark places… thoughts of gruesome terror and defeat. In those moments where the caliginous thoughts roamed about in my subconscious was when the first vague sounds of a familiar voice echoed into my head. They started faint and unclear, but as I pushed forward with Kellin as my determination, they grew more protuberant.  
'SOMEBODY HELP ME!" shrieked the voice. My heart began to speed up. "Somebody, please!" It sounded like Kellin. My feet gathered the courage to run, thudding against the moss covered soil.

"Alyss!" I heard his voice call from somewhere in front of me. I felt relief poor over me as I sped forward. I felt branches whip my face and get tangled in my hair. I tugged and pulled my way through every branch, determined to find him.

"Kellin!" I screamed. "Help me find you!" As I scurried trying to find him, I stumbled and fell forward smacking my head on something hard. I felt a steady stream of blood flow down my face as I pushed myself upwards. It ran down to my lips and I wiped it off with the bottom of my shirt. As I dabbed at the steady stream gushing from my head, I noticed something hiding under a small patch of shrubbery. I stepped slowly over to it and, to my surprise, it was a tiny, almost snow white, rabbit. The only bit of color was a long, blood read puddle near its stomach. While looking it over I also noticed the same color in its eyes. I bent over to pick it up, but it ran in the opposite direction. Entranced by its existence, I forget my quest to find Kellin.

I followed the rabbit, occasionally losing it in the underbrush of all the dark trees. We eventually came to a hole, just large enough for me to fit through, but hidden neatly under a large tree. "Alyss!" I heard Kellin scream. His voice was so close. I snapped out of the trance and began searching for him. I avoided the hole under the tree until all the other possible places came with only a dead end.

I slowly peaked over the edge, holding tightly onto the branch that hid the portal from the rest of the world. I couldn't see anything but mud covered roots. "Kellin?" I heard my voice echo through what appeared to be an endless tunnel. A muffled _Alyss_ came from inside. I felt all the muscles in my belly clench. Was I going to have to go in to find him? "Kellin!" I shout into the gap in the earth. My breath became shallow as I got nothing in response. Assuming I had no choice, I lowered myself slowly into the hole. It felt as if the world was closing itself around me. I couldn't get myself to breath and the gash in my head began throbbing.

My feet touched solid ground and I could feel my breath return slightly to normal. The ground was moss covered and the walls were damp and muddy. It grew brighter as my eyes adjusted to the darkened surroundings. As I walked forward I noticed blood covering the ground and patches about the wall. I ran my hands along both sides of me trying to keep my balance as my stomach folded in on itself. "K-Kellin?" I called into the dark. And then… I lost consciousness.

When I opened my eyes it felt as though I was falling in black… nothing but darkness surrounded me. My head throbbed in multiple places and it smelled like… I wasn't quite sure… I'd never smelled anything so revolting. My stomach lurched and when I tried to cup my mouth with my hands I noticed they wouldn't reach. I tugged at my restraints, with no prevail.

"Help!" I called out. "Somebody help me!" I wrestled violently with the confines that held me to the wall that stood directly behind me.

"So… you're finally awake." An unknown voice spoke. "You know, we thought you never would." I couldn't breathe or think, and before I could speak a single word the deep, masochistic sounding voice spoke again. "Ha-ha, we think you'll taste great." I screamed and struggled once more with the strong holding chains.

"HELP!" I begged. "Someone please help me." I kicked and pulled, rubbing the skin under the restraints raw. "Please…" I pleaded. "let me go." Tears stung my eyes as they slid down my cheeks. "Let me go." I fought against the confines, until my vision miraculously switched from nothing but black… to slowly faded visuals of my surroundings. I looked in front of me at the face of the man that I'll never forget. He had the sickest smile I have ever, even to this very day, seen. He had slimy yellow eyes, pointy teeth and a blood covered mouth. He sat a mere inches from me, the balls of his feet supporting all of the weight of his body, as his fingertips grazed the moss covered dirt below him. His petticoat was covered in blood and mud caked his dark black boots. He had electric orange hair that frizzed in tufts out the sides of a dusty, moth eaten top hat. On top of it, pinned with a piece of bone was the number 16 ½ , written in blood.

"They call me The Hatter." His eyes sparkled as he spoke in the cheeriest voice I'd ever heard. It made my skin crawl with terror and disgust. He brought his face closer to mine and his smile brightened reveling even more of his sharp, skin ripping teeth. "The MAD Hatter." He put quite a lot of emphasis on the world mad while following the statement with a fit of manic laughter. "Don't cry my lovely… I'll turn your tears to roses. You'll make a sweet, sweet meal. Yes, you will." He pushed bands that were crusted with blood behind my ear. I let out a cry.

"Kellin!" I bellowed, tears stinging in my words. I frantically searched for some savior… Hoping something would save me from this mad man. The room was covered in blood… So much blood. Body parts littered in piles around the pit … That smell… I screamed as I dry heaved. Bones and limbs surrounded the ground around me. I saw the restraints bolted in the wall. I tugged and pulled and cried out for help, but all with no resolve. My heart beat so fast that it felt as if it were going to pound out of my chest.

"Wh-why?" I asked between shallow breaths and streams of tears.

"Because, you look… Delicious." He licked his lips. "MMM, so delicious. The streets will run red with your sorrows, as the town grows smaller and smaller until… you're nothing but bones that litter the grounds of my Wonderland!" One of his hands gestured to the grotesque enclosed chasm. "And you, my pretty, shall soon join them." He laughed and stood, his trousers calcified with blood and mud. "Mallymkun!" shrilled The Hatter. "Take her to the breakdown room."

"Yes sir." A small dormouse approached and pulled a key out of a tiny white apron that was draped over her body. "But… sir… She's still awake."

"Oh yes," Hatter smiled "Sorry." Then with a wave of his hand I lost consciousness once more.

When again I awoke, I found myself on what once must have been an operation table for psych patients. My ankles and wrists were strapped down. I was feeling very paralytic. I was too tired to fight against the restraints. My lids were heavy and my body felt uncontrollably numb.

A lamp overhead shone in my eyes and I had to blink to keep them from burning, but with every blink they grew heavier and harder to open.

"Kel-Kellin," I whispered.

"Shh, my dearest child," The Hatter said running the tip of a knife along the inside of my arm. It sent cool shivers up my spine.

"Pl-please," I muttered, "Let me go." My heart sunk, I felt helpless. I began closing my eyes… giving into the seemingly unchangeable situation. That's when I heard him. Kellin.

"No, Alyss!" he screamed. "Don't sleep. Stay with me." I heard crashing and ripping fabrics. I had to fight the drowsiness. I fought and pushed to stay awake. _Stay awake. _I thought to myself. _Stay awake, Alyss._ I felt the straps across my body be realeased and taken off. Gentle hands wrapped themselves around me and sat me up. I pushed them away, Unsure whether it was a friend or foe. "Shh, Alyss." Said the sweet melodic voice. "It's me, it's Kellin."

My heart jumped. He found me… He's okay. I felt tears run down my face. As I sat up I could see The Hatter now cowering in a corner cradling the knife that once traced a pattern in my skin. He laughed, coughing up blood, deep red blood, simultaneously.

"You know I'll be back. When the darkness comes, you know I'm never far. I'm the whipsers in the dark. Fear always returns." He smiled as he was diminished to nothing but ash. Kellin stood me up and wrapped my arm around his neck. We found our way out of the labyrinth of bones, to the surface. The sun glittered like a diamond in the beautiful morning sky. Sweet freedom. As we found our way into town people poured into the streets. They gathered us in hugs and kissed from tear stained faces. When they asked us what happened and we told them about The Hatter… They didn't believe us.

So here I sit in the Island City sanitarium with nothing but a Cheshire cat grin and all the beautifully psychotic memories of the worst night of my life… waiting to be absolved of my insanity.

But I mean, hey, we're all a little crazy, right?


End file.
